u/ExcelElevations_4U

Not to be confused with the Chicony KB-5161, I found the NTC KB-6151 in a lot of a couple other boards for an ok price. I thought it had white alps, but when I got it they were the oa2 alps clones. Several keycaps had broken stems and esc key was missing (as is what sometimes happens to boards with alps clone switches). I had an idea to find a 6251 and to swap its switches and keycaps into the 6151 to make it better. I found a 6251 with white alps and the same doubleshot keycaps. The white alps already sound pretty decent in the 6251, but the 6151 has such a hollow case that it'll do wonders for sound.

6151: Very solid and tough build, can be harder to find and more expensive. Reminds me of the Ortek Mac-105, same super hollow case, but tougher built and can have doubleshot keycaps.

6251: decent starter board with smaller bezels and ok looks, much more common. I find it overall better than an fk 2001, easier to disassemble and better sounding with the right switches (EA usually means alps, but there are several other versions that can come with a huge array of different switches.) For some reason this board works fine over a ps/2 converter, but it freaks out over a soarers, not sure why.

both: can have doubleshot or pad printed caps, the legends are subtly different, but usually the pad print legends are a tiny bit smaller than the doubleshot legends.

I wanted to do an omnikey project with alectardy's omnial pcb so I chose this omnikey plus for the project.

The board was in ridiculously good condition when I got it, and after the project the thing feels basically brand new, plus the modern convinces of a vial compatible pcb. The keycaps have no wear, the plate is spotless, and the switches are the best condition alps I have. I wanted to get more yellows, but it made more sense to linearize them since these are super clean. (I could always swap the clicky leaves back in whenever I feel like it.) Out of all the models I chose a plus because I wanted the closest one to a 4704 f107 layout. I didn't need all the f keys that the ultra has, but just wanted a few keys more than a 102 that could be used for additional macros. Due to the pcb being vial compatible I rearranged the 8k cluster to be more friendly to use. The OMNI key I want to have programmed as a terminal button for linux, but can't seem to figure out the macro thing. (F13-15 I could also use for additional macros, but I'm not a huge macro user.) I also swapped in an skcl lock switch for caps lock for a little more cool points. I think this thing came out great and it's absolutely wonderful to use. Linear alps are some of my favorites.

I found one of these on ebay for cheap because it was listed as a completely different keyboard. I've been intrigued by this keyboard for a little, so I wanted a cheap one to try it out. The switches remind me of both Peerless and Focus some with slider. These Olivetti ones are definitely pretty short travel which may be a turnoff to some. I didn't find these to be super horribly bindy or scratchy, but there is some of it. However it is super easy to take the switches out and take them apart, so I may try lubing some so see if the keyfeel improves. The sound of these is pretty cool though, similar to Alps SKCP. They're not the most consistent switch out there, but I suspect that heavily used ones could be pretty bad just like Peerless. The legends are a dark brown with extra magenta legends on the numpad. I'm trying to decide of it's worth trying to get this thing running, but I think Tinkerboy is the only one who makes Olivetti converters. I don't know if the KBD 301 is compatible with it though.

Scored this for $50 plus shipping on ebay before the seller jacked up the price for others that were for sale lol. Apart from having some of my least ffavorite switches this is certainly a looker and a very cool and huge keyboard. 161 keys. This keyboard is usb which makes it really nice to plug & play, but gaming is pretty much unusable because key combos trigger random stuff and it'll mess up everything. All of the special keys do respond, but I think they're all mapped to f13 or something like that. Works great for typing though. I'm sure someone could rig up something to make this keyboard fully programmable. The mx blacks are retooled so they're nothing special. The layout is pretty fun and a few of the various special legend keycaps are rather amusing. On this one the numpad is in phone order, so they're swapped around compared to a regular keyboard. Keycaps are all dcs doubleshots, but the right shift uses a longer stabilizer so it's not compatible with other keyboards, nor are other sets compatible with this board. Regardless it's a great colorful showpiece.

My favorite alps keyboard in black, $35 on ebay. (I paid $70 for my white one, and $90 for my black at101w for comparison.) I've had a white one for a while, but really wanted to find a good black one for a while too. I think this is a way cooler and overall nicer board than a black at101w. The color is actually a very dark chocolate brown with fully black accent keys for the modifiers. I love the just right size of bezels. I love the orange number row keycaps (all caps are pad print or infilled compared to the doubleshots on my white one.) This has probably the coolest lock light sticker that I've ever seen too. This 1993 model has oa2 clones compared to my 1990 with pine white alps. (I do plan to swap some more pine white alps in this one, and reuse the oa2 switches for an alps custom as I still really like those switches too.) Finally stoked to have both my favorite alps boards in both white and black. Still absolutely love these keyboards.